A Buddhist monk walks along ancient pagodas in Mrauk-U in western Burma. The Asian country has only recently fully opened to tourism.

Photo: Khin Maung Win, Associated Press

A Buddhist monk walks along ancient pagodas in Mrauk-U in western...

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"Lord of the Rings" items appear at New Zealand's Weta Cave.

Photo: Nick Perry, Associated Press

"Lord of the Rings" items appear at New Zealand's Weta Cave.

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Buddhist monks walk on the U Bein's bridge as they cross the Taungthaman lake in Amarapura, Myanmar's penultimate royal capital located 10 kms south of Mandalay in the north of the country, early on February 5, 2012. The world's longest teak footbridge curves some 1,300 metres across the lake, connecting the two sides of the ancient capital. Myanmar is emerging from political and economic isolation after decades of military rule since a nominally civilian government took power last year. With the West looking at easing sanctions and businesses closely watching sweeping democratic reforms in the country, Myanmar needs to prepare for an anticipated increase in investments and tourism, analysts said. AFP PHOTO/Christophe ARCHAMBAULT (Photo credit should read CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP/Getty Images)

Burma, Marseille, New Zealand and Gettysburg are all on the travel radar for 2013 thanks to new tours, events and anniversaries. But the best pitch for travel in the new year might just be coming from Ireland, which is running ads "calling all Flynns, O'Malleys and Schweizenbergs" to the Emerald Isle for a unique grassroots homecoming called "The Gathering."

Here are details on these and other places, events and travel trends for 2013.

The Gathering

"It's a citizen-led initiative to attract people who are Irish-born, Irish-bred or Irish in spirit to join us in 2013," said Bernard McMullan of Tourism Ireland. "It's almost become a competition where one county, town or village tries to have as quirky a gathering as the next."

More than 2,000 events are already planned, including events for redheads and left-handers as well as reunions based on family names and clans.

The U.S. Census Bureau says 34.7 million Americans claim Irish ancestry, and Arabella Bowen, executive editorial director of Fodor's Travel, is one of them. "There are Irish people all over the world," said Bowen. "It will be great fun being able to connect with others going back for this event."

Burma

President Obama's historic recent visit to Burma - the first ever by a sitting U.S. president - is adding to already heated-up interest in the country, which has only fully opened to tourism in the last few years.

Many tour companies are adding Burma trips due to demand, and the U.S. Tour Operators Association's active members named Burma No. 1 on a list of "off the beaten path" countries they foresee becoming popular in 2013.

New Zealand

New Zealand received a huge boost in tourism from fans of "The Lord of the Rings" movie trilogy, and the release of the new movie "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is focusing attention on the destination once again. All four of the movies were filmed in New Zealand.

Marseille

The French port city Marseille is one of two European capitals of culture in 2013, along with the Slovakian city of Kosice. Fodor's Bowen says Marseille "has been overlooked in the past" by a lot of travelers heading to the lavender fields and wineries of Provence, but she believes it's ripe for a "renaissance" with new hotels, art galleries and culinary hotspots. XL Airways France is launching direct flights from New York in late May.

Anniversaries

Several important anniversaries take place in 2013, with exhibits and events to mark them.

-- Gettysburg, Pa., is marking 150 years since the famous Civil War battle, which took place July 1-13, 1863. The town will also mark the sesquicentennial of President Abraham Lincoln's brief but brilliant 272-word speech, the Gettysburg Address, which he delivered Nov. 19, 1863, at the battlefield cemetery.

Marquee events for the battle commemoration, including reenactments and tours, will take place June 28 to July 7, but there will be activities and programs throughout the year.

-- Dallas plans a ceremony to mark 50 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, at the exact time and place where shots rang out: Dealey Plaza, Nov. 22, 12:25 p.m. The ceremony will begin with church bells tolling and a moment of silence, followed by a reading of Kennedy's speeches, songs, prayers and a military flyover.

-- Saratoga, N.Y., is planning a May to September celebration with festivals and concerts marking the 150th anniversary of the race course. The town is also known for upscale restaurants and lodging along with Saratoga Spa State Park.

-- New York City's Grand Central Terminal kicks off its centennial Feb. 1 with a rededication of the landmark Beaux Arts station. Performances, lectures, exhibits and tours are planned throughout the year.

-- Florida is marking the state's 500th anniversary of European discovery and exploration, with events in all 67 counties.

Theme parks

At Disneyland in Anaheim, spring will see the opening of Fantasy Faire, located at Fantasyland and dedicated to Disney heroes and heroines. At Disney World near Orlando, Fla., a new attraction called Princess Fairytale Hall, where guests can meet Disney princesses, is also scheduled to open in 2013.

Post-Sandy

Superstorm Sandy destroyed beaches, boardwalks and waterfront attractions all along the mid-Atlantic coast. Many communities are hoping to have infrastructure rebuilt by summer.

On Coney Island, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the landmark Cyclone and Wonder Wheel rides are in good condition along with other amusement park attractions and are expected to reopen in spring as usual, along with the famous hot dog joint Nathan's and the Cyclones' minor-league baseball stadium. The New York Aquarium at Coney has been closed due to damage from flooding but hopes to reopen some if not all exhibits by summer.

Hotel trends

Anne Banas, executive editor of Smarter Travel, said ever-increasing airfares and airline fees have forced travelers to focus on the other big-ticket item in vacation spending: hotels.

Banas said sites like SniqueAway, Jetsetter and the Vacationist are becoming more popular "because you can get a more luxurious property for lower prices - you can stay at a four- or five-star hotel for the price of a three-star. But you have to be more flexible."

Jan Freitag of STR, which tracks hotel data, said mobile apps are becoming a "preferred travel booking tool" to the point where some travel startups are forgoing websites for app-only hotel booking models.